She's Gone, But I'm Still Here
by StarRee's Pen
Summary: What happened at Malfoy Manner that Luna vowed to never tell anyone? DM x LL. Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except what came out of my own head. The rest belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.


She waited for the creaking to stop so she could get to sleep. Mr. Ollivander had gone to sleep some time ago but she couldn't put the fear out of her mind that something was going to happen today. Luna had heard more yelling and screaming today in Malfoy Manner than she had heard in the past few months that she's been there.

Luna thought about poor Ollivander who had been in the cellar for more than a year now. He lived in fear of hearing the screams above them. For soon after he heard those screams they would drag him from the cellar and take him to use the Cruciatus curse on him. He had not wanted to tell her of his time here, but she needed to know so that she would know what to expect.

While Ollivander told his stories, she was painfully reminded of what happened to Neville's parents. Tears came to her eyes at the thought of Neville and Ginny and how they were holding up back at a Hogwarts that was no longer Hogwarts anymore. Luna didn't even have her D.A. Galleon with her in the cellar. It had been taken from her (along with her wand) and given to Draco when they had brought her to Malfoy Manner.

She heard the creaking stop for a second before it started again. Her instincts told her that they were coming for her and not Mr. Ollivander. Luna stood up and went over to cover Ollivander with a thin blanket that had been slipped in by Draco and prayed that he would not be woken up by her screams.

The cellar door opened and Draco came down the steps holding his wand loosely in his hand. The happy look he had on whenever he visited Luna appeared to look as if it had never existed. His pale face looked grim in the light coming from his wand. He held his hand out to her and brought her into his embrace. Her silver eyes found his grey and whispered, "I love you," as she put a hand to his cheek.

Draco bent down to whisper in her ear. "Remember, that no matter what happens up there you have to keep fighting Luna. Fight for me, for your father, and your friends if not for yourself. I love you, la Luna."

They had all the time that fate allowed them. Draco turned her back towards him and twisted her arm around her back as gently as he could. He pushed her up the steps to where Bellatrix, Narcissa, Lucius, and Greyback. Bellatrix and Lucius had looks of glee on their faces, while Greyback just licked his lips and looked at Luna hungrily. She felt Draco's hand shaking behind her back as he struggled to keep his emotions under control. He pushed Luna in front of his aunt and masked his face into one of cool indifference as he went to stand by his mother who looked the same way.

"So this is the Lovegood spawn," cackled Bellatrix, "Your mother was Maria Vance, yes?"

Luna did not answer not wanting to give Bellatrix the satisfaction.

"Answer me you insolent girl!" When Luna continued to appear as if she had not heard, Bellatrix raised her wand, smiled and said, "Crucio."

Luna knew the unbearable pain would be coming, but she was not prepared for how it would feel. She felt like every single part of her body had exploded and wanted to scream so Bellatrix would take the pain away, but she bit her lip to keep herself from screaming. She felt the blood run down her chin.

"I had always hated that blood – traitor when we were at Hogwarts. The bitch would interfere in my fights but never instigated a fight with me. She was a coward and as soon as she joined the Order I tried my very best to kill her," said Bellatrix as she grinned. "Unfortunately, I was imprisoned before I got my chance. When we broke out, I found out that the bitch had been killed because she had messed up one on her silly charms. And in front of her daughter too. She died a coward's death."

_She's gone, but I'm still here._

_She wasn't a coward._

_She's gone, but I'm still here._

Bellatrix cooed, "Now she's gone, your father is in Azkaban, and there's no one to protect you little blood-traitor. What will happen to you now?" As she laughed, the others laughed to show their support.

"My mother may be gone, but I'm still here," said Luna. The room became silent until Bellatrix shouted, "So you are, you little bitch, then I'll use that to my advantage. Crucio!"

The pain made her remember her mother's death and made her see it a thousand times over. Bellatrix only gave her seconds of relief before she cursed Luna again. Luna saw it all in her mind. Her mother braiding Luna's hair. Telling Luna she would be back in a little bit and then running upstairs. Luna going up to get her because it had been too long. The explosion. The darkness and the never-ending pain. Luna screamed as she saw the explosion in her mind's eye.

Luna screamed for hours on end and felt the tears on her cheeks before she faded into unconscious and prayed that she was dead.

She woke up to someone shaking her and calling her name. Luna heard Draco saying, "Please, Luna. Please. Your mum may be gone, but I'm still here Luna. You have to continue her fight. She wasn't a coward and neither are you. Fight it Luna. Please la Luna." She heard his voice choke up, as if he was trying to hold back his tears and be strong. "I love you Luna, and I can't lose you."

_She's gone, but I'm still here._

Luna couldn't take it anymore and opened her eyes with great difficulty so she could see his face. When his grey eyes met her silver, she saw tears running down his cheeks and brushed them away with her hand. Draco gave Luna a light kiss and whispered, "I'm still here."

Years later after the war, at their wedding reception he made a toast to his late mother-in-law Maria Lovegood. "To a woman that I have never had the pleasure of meeting," Draco said as he raised his champagne glass, "I do know she was brave and had plenty of courage. She was willing to protect others, but smart enough to not instigate fights herself," he looked over at the half of the room that was filled with Luna's Gryffindor friends and gave them a smirk. The rest of the wedding party chuckled at the look of the Gryffindor's mock affronted faces. "To my Luna, she may be gone, but your mum is still watching over you and you have your friends and your family is still here. She's gone but, you and I are still here," he said as he bent down to kiss her.


End file.
